The invention relates to multiple photoflash lamp units and particularly to multiple photoflash lamp units which are electrically activated.
Even more particularly, the invention relates to units of the variety described which are adapted for being mounted atop or inserted within a camera and for receiving flash activating signals from a power source typically associated with many of today's cameras.
Examples of known multiple photoflash lamp units are described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,857,667 (Vetere et al) and 4,017,728 (Audesse et al), both of which are assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The unit in 3,857,667, popularly known as a "flash bar," includes two opposing linear arrays of electrically-activated flash lamps encased within a light-transmitting housing. This unit is compact in design and has proven to be highly reliable. The unit in 4,017,728, popularly known as a "flip-flash," includes a vertically-oriented, planar array of electrically-activated flash lamps also encased within a transparent housing. The "flip-flash" has also proven highly reliable and was designed primarily to prevent the deleterious photographic condition known as "red-eye." "Red-eye" is a redness of the subject's pupils in the picture and results from the flash of light from the camera's flash unit entering the subject's pupils and illuminating the retinas in the eyes at regions approximately in line with the optical axis of the camera's lens. In other words, "red-eye" most usually occurs when the source of light used with the camera is too close to the camera's lens.
It is believed, therefore, that a photoflash lamp unit which is compact, highly reliable, and capable of substantially eliminating the deleterious photographic result known as "red-eye" would constitute an advancement in the art.